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,. -Ap G'. BERRY.

' ROD GOUPLER.

No.1 .402.132, Patented Apr. 30, 1889.,

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i: n n l MQW `UNITED STATES PATENT Crricn.

ALBERT G. BERRY, OF VVASHINGION, DISTRICT Cl?` (CLUMBIA.

ROD-COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,132, dated April 3o, 1889.

Application mea May 5,1888.l seria Nt. 272,936. (Modas To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT'G. BERRY, a citizen of .the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to wh ich it appertains to make and use the same. v, Y

. The purposeI have in view is the production of a simple, cheap, and effective coupler for coupling two'articles quickly and firmly.

The principal object of my invention is to couple together the varioussections of the modern gun-.swabbing rods;` but my invention is applicable to other uses; and my invention therein consists in a self-locking joint of peculiar construction, as will be hereinafter explained and claimed.

To understand the following` description, attention should be given to the drawings connected therewith, in which Figure l is an elevation of the complete coupler; Fig. 2, a similar elevation with the locking-ring and spring removed; Fig. 3, a central longitudinal'section; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section at as, Fig. l.; and Fig. 5, views of the two parts of the coupler separated.

In each of the figures the same or corresponding parts are designated by similarletters.

Mycoupler is composed of two principal parts, A and B, the first being the male portion and the latter the female. The part A has a body, a, usually cylindrical, screwthreaded on the inside when hollow, on the outside when solid, for attachment to one ofl the articles to be coupled to another. The part A has also a neck or projection, c of less size than the body a, usually cylindrical, hollow whenf adapted to be connected with pipes or other hollow articles and usually solid when designed for rods, shafts, or other solid articles. This neck or projection d maybemade integral with the body a, or secured to it in any usual way, leaving -a shoulder, a2, which is preferablyat right angles with the neck a. Pins or keys a?3 project from one or more sides of the neck a at a little distance from the shoulder a2.

The female part B of the coupler has a `occupies the space between the shoulder part, b, usually cylindrical like the part A, a neck orf projection, b', usually only a trilie smaller than the body, one or more slots, b2, extending from the outer end of the neck to a point near the shoulder if), but distant from it the same distance as the shoulder a2 is distant from the nearest portion of the pins or keys as, and this slot or slots b2 are of awidth to permit the passage back and forth of the pins or keys a3. On one side of this slot b2 is a recess, b4, of a size to contain one of the keys or pins a3, and if there are two or more of such slots the recesses will be similarly arranged in each, and commonly in the vicinity of the longitudinal centers of such slot or slots. A ring, C, embraces the neck L, is as broad as the recess hereinafter-named, and has longitudinal movement upon it.

have movement longitudinallyLin the slots b2, but havea normal position in said slot opposite to the recess h4. A stop-ring, D, is secured upon or made a part of the neck b', covering that portion of the same embraced between its outer end and the outer end of the recess b4. A spring, E,(shown as an ordinary spirali)1 and the nearest edge of the ring C and constantly presses the ring C against the ring D. rlhis spring may be covered or protected in any usual and convenient way, and suitable packing of vwell-known kinds may be employed when the coupler is used for water, air, or

steam pipes.

In the operation of my device, the parts A and B being separated in the part B, the ring C will normally be in position as pressed against the ring D by the action of the spring E, and the lug` c will -nbe in the slot b2 opposite thc recess h4. The neck a of the part A, being inserted into the neckb of the part B, with the pins or keys a entering the slot or slots 62- until such pins or keys strike against the end of the lug c, will, when pressed, force said lug and the ring C back against the pressure of the spring E until the pins or keys are opposite to the recess h4, when a slight revolution of one or both of the parts A B will bring the pins or keys into such recess. By this action, the contact of the pins or keys against the lufr c being removed and the keys or pins being taken out of the slot b2, the a'c- This ring hasA upon its inner surface 'a lug or lugs, c, which IOO tion of the spring E forces the ring C back against the ring D, and the lug cis carried back to position opposite the recess b4 and by Y the side of the key, serving to eifectually prevent the removal of the key from the recess, and also eectually locking the joint of the coupler. To unlock the joint, the ring C is pressed up against the resistance of the spring E until the lug c is removed from its position by the side of the key and opposite the recess, and then by a slight revolution of one or both of the parts A B the lug is removed from the recess and the parts A B are readily separated.

It is evident that the locking parts may be reversed, so that what is described as oonnected with the male part may be put upon the female part, and what is described as connected with the female part may be put upon the male part; but I do not regard this arrangement so desirable as the one I have described as preferred by me. It is evident also that instead of a separate coupler the male and female parts may be made directly upon the ends of shafts, rods, &c. It is evident also that the locking-ring may be dispensed with if any equivalent means is adopted to carry a keeper in the slot and receive pressure from a spring. It is evident also that the spring may be dispensed with and the locking device moved back and forth by hand; 'but it is ob- 'vious that such an arrangement would be less convenient than the one I have before described.

Having thus described my coupler, wliatl claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` 1. A coupler having' a joint composed of a key upon the male portion, a slot in the female portion for the reception of the key, a recess connected with said slot, and a keeper carried by and adjustable on the female portion to position alongside the recess and within said slot for ,locking the key within said recess, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A coupler having a'joint composed of a key upon the male portion, a slot in the female portion, a recess in the side of said slot, a removable ring carrying a lug within the slot, a spring to actuate said ring, and a fixed ring to limit the movement of the movable ring, substantially as set forth.

3. A coupler having a joint composed of a key upon the male portion, a slot in the female portion, a recess connected with the slot, and akeeper actuated by a spring to lock the key Within said recess, substantially as set forth.

4. A coupler having a joint composed of a key upon the male portion, a slot in the female portion, a recess connected with the slot, a lug Within the slot for locking the key within the recess, and a movable ring to which the lug is secured for controlling said lug, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT G. BERRY.

Witnesses:

G. W. BALLocH, FRANK L. Dran. 

